Vehicle.



No. 810,492. PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906.

R. N. MARTZ.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 19, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

w. Ii 1' 344m 14 tom,

PATENTED JAN. 23, 1906. R. N. MARTZ. VEHICLE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.19,1905.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

I III UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1906.

Application filed August 19, 1905. Serial No. 274,898.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, RANDOLPH N. MARTZ, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fred erick, in the county of Frederick and State ofMaryland, have invented a new and useful Vehicle, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates particularly to vehicles of the eight-wheel typeemployed in transporting heavy objects, such as logs, though there arefeatures not necessarily limited to this specific form. As is wellknown, vehicles of the above character are ordinarily subjected to heavystresses and strains and often necessarily travel over rough ground.While it is therefore essential that various of the parts have relativemovement or play, still it is necessary that the same be limited inorder to prevent the lashing of the tongue and consequent injury to theanimals. This is particularly true where horses are used. for when oxenare employed the parts can be allowed greater freedom of movement with aconsequent better action on the part of the vehicle as a whole.Moreover, it often happens that one or more Wheels will encounter anobstacle or become stalled in a rut, making it very desirable to crampthe same in order to free them.

The principal object in the present invention is to provide a novelstructure of a simple character that has the various qualificationsnoted above as of importance, and the preferred embodiment of suchinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

wherein Figure l is a top plan view of the vehicle. Fig.2 is a sideelevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the fronttruck. Fig. A is a longitudinal sectional view through said truck. Fig.5 is a cross-sectional view therethrough on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference-numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated the vehicle is made up of two trucks. Asthesetrucks are duplicates with but slight exception, a description ofone is thought to be sufiicient to an understanding of both. A frontaxle 6 is employed, over which is supported an axlebolster 7 spaced fromthe axle 6 by forwardlyextending pole-member tongues 8. A rear axle 9has associated therewith another axlebolster 10, and secured betweensaid axle 9 and bolster 10 is a frame consisting of a central bar 11 anda truck-hound 12, having side members 13, the front end of saidtruckhound being curved and the central bar 11 projecting in advance ofthe same, as shown at let. The upper and under faces of the truck-houndare shod with steel 15. The front end 14: of the central bar 11 and thefront end of the truck-hound are located between the front-axle bolster7 and the front axle 6, the said front end of the central bar 11transversely overlapping the same and being movable longitudinallythereof. ear-plates 16 are carried by the inner sides of the axle andbolster and project in advance of the same, having openings 17 toreceive detachable pins 18, that are arranged on opposite sides of thefront end 14 of the central bar 11.

The front axle 6 and bolster 7 are pivotally connected to the frame bymeans of rigidlyextending links or braces 19, convergently disposed andpivoted, as shown at 20, to the central bar 11 between the axles, thefront ends of said links or braces being rigidly bolted to the axle andbolster, as shown at 21, the bolts 21 also serving to secure thetongue-hounds 8 in place. Suitable braces 22 and 23 serve to connect thefront axle 6 to the hounds 8, and the rear axle 9 is reinforced bybraces 24:, connected to the central bar 11 and to the side members 13of the truck-hound.

So far as thus described the two trucks are the same, being providedwith wheels 25 of any suitable structure, journaled on the spindles 26of the axle. The only difference between the two trucks resides in themanner of mounting the truck-bolsters. The front truck has a bolster 27,pivoted by a king-bolt 28 to the central bar 11 of the frame and havinga rotary bearing in the form of relatively rotatable cooperating plates29 and 30. The baseplate 29 is secured upon the central bar 11 and has acurved groove 31, in which a depending flange 32 of the upper platemoves, the said plate 30 also having a seat 33 to receive the bolster.By this arrangement the bolster can have a free rotary movement; butlateral pressure thereon is resisted by the interlocking engagement ofthe plates 29 and 30, thus relieving the king-bolt 28 of the greaterpart of the strain. The rear truck is provided with a truck-bolster 34:,which is bolted, as shown at 35, to the side members 13 of thetruck-hound, and consequently is rigidly secured in place.

The two trucks are connect-ed by a pole IIO member in the form of areach, said reach having a bar 36 connected by a horizontal pivot 37between the hounds 8 of the rear truck, the up-and-down swingingmovement of the bar 36 being limited by keeper-yokes 38. Upon the rearend of the bar 36 is slidably mounted a locking device in the form of athree-sided plate 39, that is arranged to engage between a pair ofholding-bars 4:0, connecting the hounds and forming a socket betweenthem. The locking device is arranged to be clamped in any of a pluralityof positions by means of a bolt 41, passing through a slot 42 in saiddevice. Secured to the front end of the bar 36 are spaced bars 43, thefront ends of which are connected, as shown at 4A, to therearwardly-projecting end of the central bar 11 of the front truck. Thetongue 45 is connectedvto the front truck in the same manner that thereach is connected to the rear truck, and in the claims it is intendedby the term pole member to cover either the tongue or the reach. Saidtongue 45 is pivoted by a horizontal bolt 46 between the hounds 8 and isthus capable of an up-and-down swinging movement, the movement, however,being limited by the keeper-stirrups 4:7. The rear end of the tongue isprovided with a sliding locking device 48, that is arranged to engage ina socket formed between the bars 19, connecting the hounds, the lockingdevice being held by the bolt 50.

A vehicle as thus constructed can be employed either with horses oroxen. When the former are hitched thereto, the pins 18 are disposeddirectly adjacent to the front end 14 of the central bar 11. The lockingdevices 39 and 48 are engaged in their sockets, and consequently thevehicle is comparatively rigid. There is thus little liability of anyside lashing on the part of the tongue. If, however, oxen are used, thevarious parts can be left free, so that the vehicle is limber and canpass freely over obstructions and rough ground without localizing anyundue or abnormal strains. Moreover, by placing the pins 18 at differentdistances from the front end of the central bar thelimits of movement ofthe parts can be varied as desired. Furthermore, if when the vehicle ismade rigid the wheels strike an obstruction or become stalled bydetaching the pins 18 the front wheels of both trucks can be readilycramped, and thus often freed, whereas in the case of a rigid vehiclewhich cannot be limbered it would be a diflicult task to extricate thesame and would, perhaps, require unloading. Thus it will be seen thatthe embodiment of the invention has the desirable features set forth inthe preliminary portion of the specification.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein-described invention will be ap parent tothose skilled in the art Without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, roportion, and minordetails of construction may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising front andrear axles, a frame secured to one of the axles, a connection for theother axle pivoted to the frame between the axles, and means forlimiting the swinging movement of the pivotally-connected axle, saidmeans being adjustable to vary the limits of movement of said axle.

2. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising front andrear axles, a frame secured to one of the axles, aconnection for theother axle pivoted to the frame between the axles, and means detachablymounted on the swinging axle and movable into engagement with a portionof the frame to limit the swinging movement of the said pivotal axle.

3. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising front andrear axles, a frame secured to one of the axles and having a portiontransversely overlapping the other, a connection for said other axlepivoted to the frame between the axles, and a pin detachably andadjustably mounted in the swinging axle and engaging the overlappingportion of the frame to limit the swinging movement of said axle.

4:. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising front andrear axles, a bar rigidly aflixed to one of the axles and transverselyoverlapping the other, a connection rigidly afiixed to said other axleand pivoted to the bar, and pins carried by the swinging axle andlocated on opposite sides of the bar, said pins being adjustable towardand away from each other to vary the limits of the swinging movement ofthe axle.

5. In avehicle of the class described, atruck comprising a rear axle, aframe fixed to said rear axle and consisting of a central bar, andatruck-hound having side members secured to the rear axle on oppositesides of the bar, said bar extending in advance of the front end of thetruck-hound, a front axle, rearwardlyextending braces connected to thefront axle and pivoted to the bar in rear of its front end, said frontaxle swinging upon the hound and bar, and pins detachably carried by thefront axle and located on opposite sides of the front end of the bar.

6. In a vehicle ofthe class described, atruck comprising axles,connections rigidly carried by the respective axles and pivoted to eachother between the axles, the connection of one of the axles transverselyoverlapping the other axle and being longitudinally slidable upon thesame, and means for limiting such sliding movement.

7. In a vehicle of the class described, the

ally connecting the axle and bolster to the' frame, and means carried bythe bolster for limiting the relative movement of the bolster and theportion of the frame associated therewith.

8. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with an axle, ofa bolster mounted on the axle in spaced relation thereto, another axle,connecting means carried by the other axle and having a portion slidingbetween the first-mentioned axle and bolster longitudinally of the same,and means connecting said axle and bolster for limiting such slidingmovement.

9. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with a frontaxle, of a bolster extending longitudinallythereof, fore houndsinterposed between the axle and axle-bolster and separating the same, arear axle, a frame secured to the rear axle and including a bar that isslidable between the axle and bolster carried thereby, means connectingthe front axle and bolster to the frame, and detachable devicesconnecting the front axle and bolster to limit the movement of theportion ofthe frame that is between them.

10. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with a frontaxle, of a bolster rigidly secured thereto and spaced therefrom,

a rear axle, a frame rigidly secured to the rear" axle and comprising atruck-hound and bar,

the front portions of which are slidable between the front axle andbolster, shoes carried by the truck-hound, wear-plates carried by theaxle and bolster, and pins passing through the wear-plates and locatedon opposite sides of the frame-bar to limit the movement thereof.

11. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with a truck,of a member pivoted to the truck, said truck and member being provided,one with a socket, the other with a locking device that is movable intothe socket to hold the member against its pivotal movement.

12. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with a truck,of a pole member pivoted to the truck and having an up-anddown swingingmovement with respect to the truck, said truck and pole member beingprovided, one with a socket, the other with a movable locking devicethat is arranged to engage in the socket to hold the member against itspivotal movement.

13. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with a truckhaving a socket, of a pole member pivoted to the truck and having anup-and-down swinging movementwith respect thereto, and a locking deviceslidably mounted on the pole member and movableinto the socket to holdthe pole member against its swinging movement.

14. In a vehicle of the class described, the combination with a truckhaving forwardlyprojecting spaced hounds, cross-bars connecting thehounds and forming a socket between them, a pole member pivoted to andbetween the hounds in advance of the socket, and a locking deviceslidably mounted on. the rear end of the pole member and movable intoand out of the socket.

15. An eight-wheeled wagon comprising separate four-wheeled trucks, eachtruck consisting of a front axle, a bolster, forwardlyextendinghoundsinterposed between the axle and bolster, a rear truck, a frame rigidlysecured to the rear truck and slidably mounted between the front axleand bolster, pivotal connections between the front axle and bolster andthe frame, means connecting the front axle and bolster to limit theswinging movement of the same, said means engaging the frame, and atruck-bolster mounted on the frame, a reach pole pivoted between thehounds of the rear truck and connected to the front truck, means forlimiting the swinging movement between the rear pole and rear truck, atongue pivoted between the hounds of the front truck, and means forlimiting the swinging movement of said tongue.

16. In a vehicle of the class described, a truck comprising front andrear axles, a frame connecting the axles, a truck-bolster pivotallymounted on the frame, and a'rotary bearing for said bolster interposedbetween the same and the frame, said bearing comprising revolublyassociated plates, one of which is provided with a curved recess, theother having a flange that turns in said recess.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

RANDOLPH N. MARTZ.

Witnesses:

A. C. MGCARDELL, v A. Ln ROY MGCARDELL.

